Protein Synthes
is Process
There are different steps in making a protein. The first step in building an amino acid chain is called transcription. This process takes place within the nucleus of a cell. During this process an enzyme called RNA Polymerase binds to a DNA strand.
To bind to the DNA it begins in an area called the promoter region. Once the RNA Polymerase is bound to the DNA strand it then begins to unwind the DNA, reading the the DNA nucleotides. While reading the DNA strand the RNA Polymerase synthesizes a single mRNA strand.
Once at the end of the DNA strand the RNA Polymerase breaks off. It is no longer needed for the rest of the protein synthesis process. The DNA strand is then reattached in the double helix structure that it originally was in.
The newly formed mRNA strand is the messenger RNA that carries the genetic code of DNA. It leaves the nucleus of the cell through a nuclear pore. The strand is now in the cytoplasm. This is where the next stage, translation, takes place.
In this stage no enzymes are needed. Instead there are different molecules that are used. Ribosomes and tRNA are both needed for this step.
A ribosome attaches to the mRNA strand at the start codon. tRNA carries an amino acid and anticodons. The tRNA carries an anticodon and amino acid to the corresponding nucleotides on the mRNA strand.
Two tRNA molecules are working in the ribosome at once. Once the third tRNA comes, the first one leaves, leaving behind the amino acid it carries and taking the anticodon. The amino acid bonds to the amino acid on another tRNA with a peptide bond.
The process continues. Once the ribosome reaches the stop codon, the process is over. There isn’t a tRNA for the stop codon, therefore there isn’t an amino acid that comes from it. The process simply just ends. The ribosome breaks off of the mRNA strand. The mRNA strand, the ribosome and the tRNA molecules are no longer needed.
Now all that is left is a polypeptide chain, formed by all the amino acids that linked together. The last step in protein synthesis is the folding of the polypeptide chain into a tertiary structure.
Observe the following steps to get a better understanding of protein
synthesis process.
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Nucleus
Nucleus
DNA
Nucleus
DNA
TATT
TA A
T
A
AA T
C C
C C GG
GG
G CGC
AA
TT
CG
TA
T
T
T
A
A
TA
A A
TC
C
C
C
GG
G G
G
C
GCA
AT T
CG
TA
T
TT
A
A
TA
AA
TC
C
C
C
GG
GG
G
C
GC
A AT
TC
G
Nucleus
DNATATT
TA
A
T
A
AA T
C C
C C GG
GG
G CGC
AA
TT
CG
TA
T
T
T
A
A
TA
A A
TC
C
C
C
GG
G G
G
C
GCA
AT T
CG
TA
T
T
T
A
A
TA
AA
TC
C
C
C
GG
GG
G
C
GC
A AT
TC
G
Nucleus
DNA
TATT
TA A
T
A
AA T
C C
C C GG
GG
G CGC
AA
TT
CG
TA
T
T
T
A
A
TA
A A
TC
C
C
C
GG
G G
G
C
GCA
AT T
CG
TA
T
TT
A
A
TA
AA
TC
C
C
C
GG
GG
G
C
GC
A AT
TC
G
NucleusDNA
TT
TAT
A
AA
C C
C C GG
GG
G CGC
AA
TT
CG
T
T
T
AT
A
A A
C
C
C
GG
G G
G
C
GCA
AT T
CG
TA
T
TT
A
A
TA
AA
TC
C
C
C
GG
GG
G
C
GC
A AT
TC
G
DNATATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
CodonCodonCodonCodonCodon
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionRNA Polymerase
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionRNA Polymerase
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter Region
RNA Polymeras
e
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter Region
RNA Polymeras
e
A
UG
mRNA Strand
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter Region
RNA Polymeras
e
AU
G
mRNA Strand
GA
U
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionA
U
GmRNA Strand
GA
U
RNA Polymeras
e
G
CA
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionmRNA Strand
RNA Polymeras
e
AU
G
GA
UGCAC
CA
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionmRNA Strand
RNA Polymeras
e
AU
G
GA
UGCAC
CA
UA
G
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionmRNA Strand
RNA Polymeras
e
AU
G
GA
UGCAC
CA
UA
G
TATT
TA A
T
A
A
A T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionmRNA Strand
AU
G
GA
UGCAC
CA
UA
G
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
Promoter RegionmRNA Strand
AUG
GAUGC
AC
C AUA
G
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
mRNA StrandAU
GG
AUGCA
CC A
UAG
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
mRNA StrandAU
GG
AUGCA
CC A
UAG
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
mRNA StrandAU
GG
AUGCA
CC A
UAG
TATT
TA
A
T
A
A
A
T
C C
C C GG
G
G
G CGC
A
AT
T
CG
AUG
GAUGC
AC
C AUA
G
TATT
TA
A
T
A
AA T
C C
C C GG
GG
G CGC
AA
TT
CG
AUG
GAUGC
AC
C AUA
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
TATT
TA A
T
A
AA T
C C
C C GG
GG
G CGC
AA
TT
CG
AUG
GAUGC
AC
C AUA
G
TA
T
T
T
A
A
TA
A A
TC
C
C
C
GG
G G
G
C
GCA
AT T
CG
TA
T
TT
A
A
TA
AA
TC
C
C
C
GG
GG
G
C
GC
A AT
TC
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUG
GAUGC
AC
C AUA
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUG
GAUGC
AC
C AUA
G
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUG
GAUGCA
CC AUAG
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUG
GAUGCA
CC AUAG
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUG
GAU
GCACC A
UAG
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUG
GAU
GCACC A
UAG
Nuclear PoreNucleus
Cytoplasm
A
UG
GA
UG
CAC
C A
UAG
Nuclear PoreNucleus
Cytoplasm
AUGG
AU
GC
A
C
CA
UAG
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
CC
AU
AG
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
CC
AU
AG
Nuclear Pore
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
RibosomesNucleus
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
AU
GGA
UG
C
A
C
CA
UA
G
Ribosomes
Nucleus
A
U
GGA
UG
C
A
C
CA
UA
G
Ribosomes
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
AU
GGA
UG
C
A
C
CA
UA
G
Ribosomes
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
Ribosomes
Cytoplasm
AU
GGA
UG
CA
C
CA
UA
G
Ribosomes
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
AUGG
AU
GC
AC
CA
UAG
Ribosomes
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
A
UGG
A
UG
C
A
C
CA
UAG
Ribosomes
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Large Subunit
Small Subunit
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
C A U
tRNA
Amino Acid
Anticodon
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
C A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
C A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
C A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA UA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA UA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA UA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U CU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U CU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U CU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U CU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U CU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
CA U
A U CU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U CU G C
Peptide Bond
C A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CC A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CC A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CC A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CC A U
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CG U G
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CG U G
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
A U C
Peptide Bond
U G CG U G
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG U G A U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GUA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GUA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GUA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GUA U C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GU
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GU
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G GUU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GU
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GU
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
U G CG GU
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G GUU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G GUU G C
Cytoplasm Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G GU
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G U G
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G U G
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G U G
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
G U G
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
Cytoplasm
Ribosome
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
Cytoplasm
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide Bond
Cytoplasm
AUGGAUGCACC AUA
G
StartCodonCodon Codon
CodonStopCodon
Peptide BondPolypeptide Chain
Polypeptide Chain in Tertiary Structure
Protein
The End